Walking Dead Recap S2E4: Cherokee Rose

Another day at Hershel’s farm, everyone spends the morning gathering rocks for Otis’s memorial, remember the guy, the one Shane shot, when the small caravan lead by Daryl on his motorcycle returns. Carl awakens, asking about Sophia, and his parents tell a small lie to let the boy rest.

T-Dog announces everyone’s return. Lori delivers the good news to Dale and crew that Carl will pull through.  Hershel says a few words over the stones for Otis, and Shane has a flashback. He’s already so close to losing his damned mind that saying something at his memorial nearly pushes him over the edge. He spews his lies to comfort the widow, and keeping his dark secrets to himself.

Hershel and Maggie show the group a map of the area, they’re still searching for Sophia, and the map helps them formulate a better plan. Shane bristles a bit when Hershel asks everyone to turn over their weapons, and Rick respects his decision even if they don’t like it. 

Running low on supplies Maggie decides to make a run to town, Rick suggests Glenn go with her.

Lori gravitates to Shane, he asks her if she meant it when she asked him to say. She did.

Maggie approaches Glenn about going into town with her, and he agrees.

Andrea is a little upset that Shane laid down his gun at Hershel’s request, but it’s not her choice. He goes through some mechanics with her, and she’s pleased with her progress.

Daryl heads out to look for Sophia alone.

Rick approaches Hershel about using the barn for the group. Hershel makes it clear, that once they find Sophia and Carl is up and about, the welcome mat is no more.

Glenn watches Maggie with binoculars, and Lori gives him a shopping list with a supers secret item on it, could it be dun dun dun a pregnancy test? We all know this is coming, but will it be the final nail in a crazed Shane’s coffin? Only time will tell.

T-Dog is filled with self-doubt, and Dale “forgets” all of his secrets out by the well. Dale takes a closer inspection of the water source, and stops T-Dog from imbibing the water. He gathers the group to see what’s in the well, and I’m guessing its nothing good. Ew Michelin man zombie is no bueno, and as far as secret ingredients go, one of the grossest. I wonder if Maggie knew the well was polluted before she sent Dale there.

The group decide they need to retrieve it, but Maggie is opposed to shooting it cause it’ll contaminate the water, so the group thinks of a way to remove it.

Hershel shows Rick that there’s a whole branch of the creek that they’ve missed, where Sophia could be. Seriously it’s been 3 days, the little girl isn’t coming back. Rick is done praying for the girl, he’s given up on faith, and Hershel gives him a little pep talk.

The group goes dough boy fishing, and it’s a no go with canned ham, so they dangle Glenn as an appetizing worm. As they lower him down, the well breaks, and just out of reach Glenn dangles as the group above struggles to keep him from falling further. Glenn emerges, and in his panic he’s managed to even rope the zombie. Thank goodness, I don’t think anyone else would have been willing to take a trip down that hole.

Daryl finds a house, he gives it a quick search looking for signs of life, death or Sophia. He finds some canned goods, and a sleeping space, but no Sophia.

The group pulls the zombie from the well, but just as it’s almost free it splits in two, and half of it falls back in. If the well wasn’t contaminated before it definitely is now. T-Dog who sat back and waited instead of killing the thing and grabbing it by the pants and hauling it out takes out his frustrations of the half remaining above ground. Maggie sheds a few tears. All that work for nothing.

Andrea tries to comfort Carol, but she’s pretty hopeless about the situation. On the way back to the farm, Andrea nettles Shane a bit. But Shane gives her a little wisdom, and its kinda dark. He tells her not to think, just do.

Glenn and Maggie take the horses to gather supplies, he’s not use to anyone riding shotgun on his supply rides. He gives Maggie the list, as he looks for Lori’s item. The store is well picked over, when he finds what he was looking for, a little shocked. He keeps Lori’s secret, and sticks his foot in his mouth as he grabs the closest thing he could find to cover, a box of condoms. Maggie thinks he’s trying to make a move on her, and she’s more open to the idea than he ever dreamed. And she kisses him, taking the first steps, and shedding some clothes. But we all know the little dashes of happy are always delivered with heaps of trouble, so trouble must be on the horizon.

Rick begs Hershel to reconsider as he watches his group. The group needs safety, and Rick is looking for a way to provide it, he all but begs for him to at least think about it. Hershel respects Rick, and what he’s trying to do, he’s a much better father than his own was, and he makes a deal, a don’t ask about crap and I’ll think about it deal.

Lori and Rick switch shifts on sitting with Carl.

Maggie tells Glenn it was a one-time thing as they ride home. Lori comes to collect her goods, and Glenn walks away a little droopy after Maggie’s ego smashing. See happy moment, then bam misery. Ahh, it’s good to have a formula.

Daryl comes to visit Carol. He brings her a single Cherokee rose, and tells her the flower’s story. He’s such a softy. The rose comes from the tears of mothers; he believes that it bloomed for Sophia.

Carl awakens and Rick tries to break the news of Sophia, but Lori already told him. Carl forgives the lie, and the boys talk battlewounds. He bestows upon Carl his hat, and the boy goes back to resting. Rick puts away his Sherriff stars as Lori watches. She asks if he’s putting them away, and he closes the drawer.

Lori takes a little walk, and its pee test time. She doesn’t look too happy when the little + sign appears.